The Nebu Nile cruise is a stay on H/S Nebu, a modern motor ship with forty suites, and the "dahabiya" label it often carries is simply wrong. Verdict in one line: a small luxury ship with genuinely useful extras (solo cabins, a pool, a large spa), sold at upper-luxury agency prices on a standard Luxor–Aswan route.
A dahabiya is a traditional sailing boat with about ten cabins and no pool. Nebu is a 76-guest motor ship with a lift, a sun-deck pool and a spa, and it follows the same route and weekly rhythm as the big ships. If you came here looking for a sailing boat, see our dahabiya guide. If you want a small luxury ship, read on.
- Type
- Luxury motor ship (not a dahabiya)
- Built / refurbished
- First sailed October 2021 (trade press)
- Cabins
- 40: 33 suites, 2 executive suites, 4 solo cabins, 1 Owner Suite with balcony (76 guests)
- Pool
- Yes, with bar; large spa
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 4 nights from Luxor, 3 nights from Aswan, 7-night round trips
- Embarks
- Luxor on Saturday, Aswan on Wednesday (Egyptian agency)
- How it is sold
- US operators Central Holidays and Vantage; Egyptian agencies
- Status
- On sale
Source: luxorandaswan.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Suites and cabins
- 4.5/5All suites, plus solo cabins and a balcony Owner Suite
- Facilities
- 4.5/5Pool with bar, spa, gym, doctor, lift
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5The standard Luxor–Aswan route, nothing extra
- Value
- 3.5/5$1,408–1,940 per person, entry fees included
- Transparency
- 2.5/5No official site; owner not published
- Booking ease
- 3/5US group operators or Egyptian agencies, not platforms
Pros
- Only 76 guests on a ship with a pool and a large spa
- Four solo cabins for travellers on their own
- Owner Suite with a private balcony
- Agency fares include excursions, entry fees and an English-speaking guide
- Lift between decks
Cons
- No official website, and the owner is not published
- Standard route: no Dendera, El Kab or Gebel el-Silsila
- Expect US tour groups on board
- Priced well above unnamed 5-star cruises on the platforms
- Single fares far above half the double rate
The ship: suites, solo cabins and the spa
Nebu has 40 suites: 33 standard suites, 2 executive suites, 4 solo cabins and 1 Owner Suite with a large private balcony, for 76 guests in all. Sellers describe a sun-deck pool with a bar, a spa they call the largest on the Nile (their claim), a gym and a doctor on board. A lift connects the decks; sources disagree on whether there are four or five.
The solo cabins are the unusual part. Most Nile ships charge a single traveller a heavy supplement for a double cabin. Nebu has four cabins built for one. The catch is the agency price table: its single rates ($2,144–2,680 for three nights) are well above the per-person double rate. Ask if the quote is for a solo cabin or a double for single use.
The Owner Suite has a large private balcony, which is rare on the Nile. Ask about balconies in other suites before you book.
The itinerary: Luxor Saturday, Aswan Wednesday
Nebu follows the standard Nile pattern, split into two halves that join into a 7-night round trip:
- 4 nights Luxor → Aswan, embarking in Luxor on Saturday.
- 3 nights Aswan → Luxor, embarking in Aswan on Wednesday.
That Saturday/Wednesday rhythm matters, because many ships leave Luxor on a Monday or Thursday. If your dates only work for a Saturday start, Nebu is one of the luxury options. Our Luxor to Aswan guide explains what the 4-night run covers day by day. The Aswan to Luxor guide does the same for the 3-night return.
Nebu's own day-by-day order is not published, so ask your seller for it. On this route the 4-night run typically covers Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.
- 0 kmLuxorStart or end of every standard cruise. Ships moor along the East Bank and at private docks south of town; Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank are visited from here.
- 50 kmEsnaAbout 50 km upriver. Ships pass the Esna lock (two ships per lockage), often at night; many ships stop here overnight without visiting the temple.
- EdfuBetween Esna and Kom Ombo. The Temple of Horus is visited by horse carriage or coach from the quay, usually in the morning.
- Kom OmboRiverside temple, open for entry until 20:00: upstream ships stop at dusk, downstream ships come early in the morning.
- 200 kmAswanAbout 200 km by river from Luxor. Philae, the High Dam and a felucca or motorboat round Kitchener's Island; last night of a dahabiya trip at the Aswan bridge dock.
Distances along the river, rounded; ships also stop at the Esna lock and sometimes moor at Kom Ombo for the night.
Nebu Nile cruise prices
The clearest prices come from an Egyptian agency that sells Nebu cabins, in US dollars per person:
| Cruise | May–Aug, double | Sep–Apr, double | May–Aug, single | Sep–Apr, single |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights from Aswan (Wednesday) | $1,408 | $1,760 | $2,144 | $2,680 |
| 4 nights from Luxor (Saturday) | $1,552 | $1,940 | $2,432 | $3,040 |
These fares include full board, excursions and entry fees, an English-speaking guide, transfers between East Bank hotels, the airport or the station and the ship, and service charges and taxes. Drinks, tips and optional tours are extra. Christmas, New Year and Easter are priced separately. For children's fares, ask the seller.
Nebu is not sold on GetYourGuide, Headout or Tiqets. For comparison, GetYourGuide's 4-night Luxor cruise with Abu Simbel starts from $840 per person, 4.4 from 69 reviews, on a ship the operator assigns and the listing does not name. That is less than half Nebu's winter fare. You are paying for the small ship, the suites and the spa, not for more sights.
GetYourGuide4 nightsFrom Luxor
Luxor: 5 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel
4.4 (69)
from $840Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Luxor
Luxor: 4 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel
4.6 (132)
from $690Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
Who sells Nebu
In the United States, Nebu appears on the Egypt packages of Central Holidays, alongside its other ships, and of Vantage. Trade reports have linked it to both, but the owner is not published, so treat any seller's "our ship" claim with care. Expect American groups on board.
Outside those packages, Egyptian agencies sell cabins on the published weekly departures. Get the ship's name, cabin type and the inclusions above in writing before you pay a deposit.
Alternatives to Nebu
- For a Saturday or Wednesday start on another small luxury ship, Sonesta Star Goddess (33 all-terrace suites) sails Luxor Saturday and Aswan Wednesday.
- For entry fees and a guide included on an even smaller luxury ship, the Oberoi Zahra (28 cabins).
- For a newer upper-luxury ship on the Monday/Friday pattern, Soleil.
- Our luxury Nile cruise guide compares them all.
Nebu: questions
Is Nebu a dahabiya?
No. H/S Nebu is a luxury motor ship with 40 suites, 76 guests, a pool, a spa and a lift. A dahabiya is a traditional sailing boat with about ten cabins. The similarly named Nebyt is a six-cabin dahabiya.
How much is a Nebu Nile cruise?
An Egyptian agency sells it from $1,408 per person in a double for 3 nights from Aswan in summer, up to $1,940 for 4 nights from Luxor between September and April, with excursions, entry fees and a guide included.
When does Nebu sail?
It leaves Luxor on Saturday for 4 nights to Aswan, and Aswan on Wednesday for 3 nights back to Luxor; the two join into a 7-night round trip.
Does Nebu have single cabins?
Yes, four solo cabins. Check whether your quote is for one of them or for a double cabin for single use, as the agency's single fares are much higher than the per-person double rate.
Who operates the MS Nebu Nile cruise?
The owner is not published. US operators Central Holidays and Vantage use the ship in their Egypt packages, and Egyptian agencies sell cabins.
